After Donald Trump and Republicans seemingly had a gift dropped in their lap thanks to classified documents being found at Joe Biden’s residence, former Vice President Mike Pence barreled into the fiasco thanks to classified documents being found at this residence, too. Turns out, the heads of our government are not the best stewards of top-secret information.
The situation has reportedly gotten so bad that the National Archives sent a letter asking former presidents and vice presidents to basically look around the house to see if there are any classified documents in the garage or tucked under a couch cushion. You guys are killing them here. Via CNN:
“The responsibility to comply with the [Presidential Records Act] does not diminish after the end of an administration,” the letter states. “Therefore, we request that you conduct an assessment of any materials held outside of NARA that relate to the Administration for which you serve as a designated representative under the PRA, to determine whether bodies of materials previously assumed to be personal in nature might inadvertently contain Presidential or Vice Presidential records subject to the PRA, whether classified or unclassified.”
The letter was sent to every administration going all the way back to President Reagan. Interestingly, Jimmy Carter was not a recipient because even though he signed the Presidential Records Act, it didn’t go into effect until he left office. So God knows how many documents that crafty little peanut farmer has or whether he dives into a pool of them like Scrooge McDuck.
(Via CNN)